


I really like you

by BloodBr0thers



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 06:29:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16236089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodBr0thers/pseuds/BloodBr0thers
Summary: “You really like him, don’t you?”“Shit...I don’t know, Lip,” Joe swallows a mouthful of beer just for something to do. “I mean—sure? I like him. Who doesn’t like George?”“But you feel jealous—of the guy at the bar?”“You can tell?” Asks joe, entirely too quickly.





	I really like you

**Author's Note:**

> ((Tw: there’s some offscreen violence and threats. It’s minor, but lemme know if anybody wants this specifically tagged as anything))
> 
> I originally posted this on my tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/h3adst0nes

Joe smiles as he catches sight of Luz from across the bar.

He’s just arriving— his clothes are ruffled and windswept, while his hair is frosted with a dusting of snowflakes, and his cheeks are tinged pink from the cold. Joe watches—careful not to stare and hyperaware of the knowing look Bill is currently sending him from across the table—as Luz smirks devilishly as he orders a drink, and shoots off another quip with the bartender, causing the man to throw his head back and laugh loudly while George’s grin grows wider.

Joe wonders, briefly, what Luz could have possibly said that was so funny, but the thought soon escapes him as he observes the scene unfolding before him.

In the time it’s taken George to order his drink, another patron has wandered over. The man is tall, much taller than Luz, and is broad with muscle. His shirt is obnoxiously tight, and fitted in all the right places, making his arms and chest seem bigger than they are. Tattoos poke out from under the stretched material, and it makes Joe wonder, suddenly, if George likes that sorta thing.

From under the table, Bill kicks him.

“Knock it off, wouldja?”

“What? The fuck you talkin’ about?”

Bill glares at him. “You stare any fuckin’ harder and they’ll catch fire.”

Joe lets his gaze slip back to the bar briefly, before he turns back to Bill and scowls.

“fuck you. M’not staring.”

Bill snorts into his glass, causing Malarkey and Babe to stop talking and glance over. Joe’s scowl deepens as Bill continues to chuckle.

From under the table, Joe kicks him.

“Hey!” Exclaims Bill. 

“Shut up, Gonorrhoea.”

Bill mutters under his breath and gets up, going off in search of Bull and Martin who are playing darts just across the room.

Toye goes back to silently staring at the bar. The man is still listening to George talk, an obviously fake smile plastered across his face, as Luz—unaware and uncaring—gesticulates wildly, embellishing his story with voices and impressions. There’s a glint in George’s eye—a mixture of excitement and happiness—as he talks.

“Why don’t you go over there?” 

Toye starts, turning round and frowning at the voice behind him. 

Lipton is just sitting down, a half drunk beer in hand. There’s a polite smile on his face as he gets himself comfortable in Bill’s old seat. Joe sighs, turning away completely from the bar so his entire attention is focused on Lip. 

If anyone can make him feel better about this situation, it’s Lip.

“You really like him, don’t you?”

And that’s all he says. Carwood’s looking at him knowingly, but in a different way to how Bill looks at him knowingly. It’s soft and comforting, he’s not pushing Joe to explain himself but he definitely expects some sort of answer.

“Shit...I don’t know, Lip,” Joe swallows a mouthful of beer just for something to do. “I mean—sure? I like him. Who doesn’t like George?”

“But you feel jealous—of the guy at the bar?”

“You can tell?” Asks joe, entirely too quickly.

Lipton laughs quietly, “Absolutely. You’re staring at the guy like you want nothing more than to kill him. You’re just like Ron.”

Joe isn’t overly sure how he’s supposed to take being compared to someone like Spiers, but ignores it in favour of the situation in hand. 

“Well, okay. What should I do?”

Lip is good at advice. He’s understanding, he takes his time to properly think before divulging any sort of answer. He’s full of reassurance, bright and positive—even in the worse of situations—and Joe understands why Lip and Luz are such good friends. Although they’re equally as different, they’re also frighteningly alike.

Carwood thinks for a moment, the expression of silent contemplation sitting comfortably on his face. Joe takes the opportunity to peek over his shoulder quickly, and is momentarily confused when he no longer sees George at the bar. 

“What the fuck?”

“What?” Asks Carwood, his expression morphing into one of worry at Joe’s sudden outburst.

“George is gone,” says Joe. “And so is the guy.”

He gets up, eying round the bar In case Luz has simply walked past him and joined their friends playing darts, or Muck and Penkala playing pool. Joe fails to identify the familiar head of fluffy hair.

“Joe, chill out,” reassures Lipton. “He’s not entirely stupid. I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

It’s a blanket statment. Joe can see it in Carwood’s face that he’s equally concerned for their friend. 

“I’m going for a cigarette.” Lip nods in understanding and Joe grabs his coat.

He shrugs on the leather jacket he’s brought with him, fishes out his cigarettes and pushes past a handful of people who have crowded round the door. A sharp blast of cold, Philly air hits him as soon as he steps out the door, and Joe shudders.

The night is bitter, the wind vicious and unpleasant. He lights his cigarette, takes a drag and walks away from the bars front in an attempt to stop his feet from turning into blocks of ice. 

That’s when he hears it.

“Heh, well. This has been—unpleasant, actually. So, I’m just going to go.”

”No. Stay, c’mon.” 

Joe’s stomach drops as he recognises Luz’s voice. It’s tight and strained, like he’s struggling. Toye wastes no time dropping his cigarette and investigating. 

The alleyway besides The Toccoa is long and dark. It smells like stale piss and rotting rubbish, making Joe gag as he turns into the alleys enterance. The only light is from streetlamp at the mouth of darkened sidestreet.

“I really should go,” insists George. “My friends will worry.”

“C’mon, don’t be like that.”

”I’m sorry, I’ve gotta go—“ 

There’s a sudden crash from further up ahead, and Joe’s heart lurches. He begins to run, squinting into the darkness to try and make out anything familiar. Just when he thinks he might have dreamed it, he almost trips over a warm, solid mass on the floor.

“Joe?”

“George? Holy shit. Are you okay?” Joe doesn’t even think as he throws himself down onto the ground next to his buddy, hands hovering unsure. 

Luz laughs humourlessly, “fan-fucking-tastic.”

The guy is nowhere to be seen and Joe feels his blood boil. George is kneeling on the floor, one arm clutching his stomach and the other clutching at the gritty wall in support.

“What happened?” Joe asks.

He helps George stand carefully, muttering soft apologies when Luz hisses.

”Bastard wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

”He touch you?”

“No. But he caught me in the jaw before he left.”

If Joe wasn’t so concerned for George, he might have focused a little more of his energy on cursing the guy out, maybe even trying to track him down with Bill and Babe in tow, but he’s far more occupied with his companion. 

“Right. C’mon,” joe instructs, mind made up. “We’re going back to my place. I’ll let Lip know you’re okay, don’t worry.”

George hums softly, he sounds dazed and tired. “Sounds good, Joe.”

It’s a bit of a challenge but Joe manages to get them into a comfortable enough position for walking. The moment they’re out the alley and into the glow of the streetlamp, Toye checks Luz over gently.

There’s a bruise forming on his jaw already. Joe winces in sympathy and goes to check his front but George is hesitant to allow him. Joe just nods, meeting Luz’s tired, drooping eyes with a kind smile. George grips him tighter. 

They stumble their way home in silence. Joe spends the whole journey internally berating himself for ever taking his eyes off the bar in the first place. He knew there wasn’t something quite right with that guy.

They negotiate the stairs—Joe even manages to get a chuckle out of George as he trips up the steps—and they make it to the second floor unscathed. Luz is basically falling asleep standing upright, a combination of booze and the nights events catching up to him. 

Joe fishes his phone and keys from his pocket, shooting off a quick text to Lip before letting them both into his apartment. They shuffle their way in, George immediately making his way to the couch while joe splits off to the kitchen in search of something cold. 

He digs out a bag of frozen peas, wraps them up in a tea towel, before going back in to the living room to hand them over to George.

“Here,” says Joe, thrusting the bag of peas under Luz’s nose. “This’ll help with the bruising.”

The other man smiles appreciatively, making Joe’s stomach flutter and chest tighten as he goes about grabbing pillows and blankets.

“I’ll sleep on the couch. You can take the bed,” he starts but George cuts him off.

“No.” It’s comes out rough with a touch of desperation. “No. Stay. Please?”

They look at each other, two sets of brown eyes meeting acorss an empty room and Joe—he sees how George is holding himself, hunched and hurt. It makes Joe just wants to curl round him and make sure he’s alright, kiss him softly—and Joe nods.

George sighs in relief as he lets Joe lead him through to the bedroom. 

Joe leaves his friend stood by the door, peas still held firmly to his jaw. He unmakes the bed, strips himself of his shoes, sock and pants before quickly swapping out his top for the one he usually sleeps in. George is hesitantly doing the same, gingerly moving and Joe gently helps him, careful and delicate with his touches. 

“You first,” smiles Joe, taking the peas from Luz as he climbs into the bed, and throwing them next to the pile of shed clothes. 

Joe turns the light off, and climbs in. 

There’s a lot of shuffling. He’s considerate of the gap between them, not wanting to encroach on George’s space too soon. Once settled, they’re silent. Joe thinks that Luz might even be asleep already, until a heavy sigh proves him wrong and suddenly Luz is curling himself into Joe, grabbing blindly for his arm and pulling it round his body.

They reposition themselves. George snuggles into Joe’s chest, letting out a contented sigh which makes Joe’s stomach flip. He’s dreamt of this before—granted, it had never been under such circumstances—but he’d dreamt about holding Luz like this countless times before.

“Joe?” Whispers George.

“Yeah?”

”I really like you.” 

Joe feels his heart stutter and his breath hitch. He’s dreamt of this moment, too. He’s seen this happen in every different way possible, but this one is by far his favourite because it’s real.

“I really like you, too, George.”

”Mmh. That’s good.” Is the muffled reply.

Joe chuckles quietly, quickly dropping a light kiss to George’s temple as they lie there. 

They both fall asleep with a smile on their lips.


End file.
